Beef finishers in the UK have enjoyed an uplift in prices for fat cattle during July and August.

Thankfully, it is now beginning to move on our side. Prices across the water are now over 30p/kg above the same week last year, at close to 500p/kg(€5.94/kg).

The same as Ireland, these bullish prices have been driven by fewer cattle at the factories. Like the trajectory of the Irish suckler herd, the UK breeding cattle herd is 2% smaller year-on-year, and the best estimates point to supply reductions in the final quarter of the year.

The same herd reduction moves are happening in Scotland. At the price premium of UK beef over Irish, they are expecting more meat from Ireland – hence the increased demand on this side of the water.

Refreshing suckler account from Kerry

It is great to hear about what the suckler sector means to young farmers as they strive to improve their lot with better breeding and management insouth Kerry (see p36). We have seen a large exodus of sucklers from the east of the country, where any number of alternative land uses are available.

Given the constraints on land availability, quality and the fragmented nature of land in parts of the country, like Kerry, it is clear that the suckler will always have a place in these regions. It seems that as more schemes are initiated land movement is further restricted which slows generation renewal.